WWE Champ and Oscar Winner?
The Rock will kill this. He will nail this role. – Dana White
Dwayne Johnson, ‘The Rock,’ or professional wrestling’s ‘Final Boss,’ no matter what you call him, there’s no denying his ever-growing presence in action movie roles has reached significant heights.
However, the direction of Johnson’s acting tenure has taken a turn many in entertainment news didn’t expect, one that involves his portrayal of Mark Kerr, the former two-time UFC heavyweight tournament winner.
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Dwayne Johnson in ‘The Smashing Machine’
Under the directional expertise of Benny Safdie, Johnson takes the lead role in The Smashing Machine, an upcoming production of A24 that has become synonymous with their long list of quality titles amongst film buffs.
One man, however, has become very intrigued with the latest project, and that’s none other than the Ultimate Fighting Championship President himself, Dana White.
White, as the CEO and face of everything UFC-related, should be the perfect judge of an upcoming film centered around a former athlete of his company. And from what the boss has seen so far, it’s a huge thumbs up and a film that could potentially catapult Johnson into the upper echelon of Hollywood stars.
Dana White Hints Dwayne Johnson Could Win an Oscar
During a conversation with Chris McPherson from the Collider, White was questioned on The Smashing Machine and whether or not it’ll be a precise representation of the sport.
The UFC President referenced a social media post by Johnson where he discussed an injury he’d received during MMA training for the upcoming film. White highlighted that Johnson wasn’t just going the extra mile in this movie but that his Oscar-nominee potential was high.
“I don’t know if you saw it, but he was showing his Instagram the other day that he messed up his elbow,” White said. “The Rock will kill this. He will nail this role. I know how seriously he’s taking this; I know who’s working with him, and I know how hard he’s working on this film. I think this could be the opportunity for The Rock to be nominated for an Oscar.”
White could be onto something here. If you’ve already seen the leaked imagery of Johnson’s prosthetics in UFC news, you’ll know how serious the visual transformation has been. Couple this with a role in which Johnson plays an athlete; it could be the markings of a storyline that is perhaps the best suited for a former sportsperson who also understands the trials and tribulations.
“He’s taken this very seriously,” White added. “This has been a passion project for him for a while, and he has 100% of the support from the UFC. Obviously, he’s a friend of mine, and this is his chance for an Oscar.”